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Bits and bobs about my life in my lovely home, Thatchwick Cottage, Pretoria, South Africa.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Thursday, 26 June: Playing tag

Dashing around the garden, swinging around tree trunks, through the dahlias, skipping over the stone edgings to the flowerbeds, hither and thither! Red faced, perspiring foreheads, jerseys torn off and discarded on the grass! Wild screams of excitement!

"You're on, Shannon...Peter...Cathy...Eleanor!"
"Ag no, it's already half past five. Where's your Mom? I have to thank her. I have to go! Mrs Kell, thank you for having me!"
"Mom, can I just walk with Eleanor to the corner, please, please, please?"

I loved playing tag, except we never called it tag. To my best friend, Shannon, her brother and sister, it was "On, On" or "Touch". If touched, it was your turn to chase the others round and round the garden of our homes while they teased and taunted you. Long afternoons of touch, hide and seek, swinging or jumping over sticks laid out the lawn always ended with the obligatory formal thanks to Mother and pleas to be allowed to accompany each other to the corner where we could have a last lingering chat.

Now Rhondi has tagged me and to secure my release, here are five of my many favourite things.
First...

My favourite childhood book: The secret garden. "Oh, the things that happened in that garden! If you have never had a garden, you cannot understand, and if you have had a garden, you will know that it would take a whole book to describe all that came to pass there. The green things began to show buds, and the buds began to unfurl and show colour, every shade of blue, every shade of purple, every tint and hue of crimson."

Second...

My Victorian dresser filled with treasures in my bedroom.

Third...

This little Spode tea and coffee set just for one, arranged on one of my embroidered traycloths together with my grandmother's birthday book published in 1883.

Fourth...

Since I now live alone in an empty nest, I no longer have to buy bumper packs of economy soap at the supermarket! Instead I can treat myself to Roger Gallet's imported perfumed soaps from Paris. Round in shape, just the right size for your palm and rich and creamy!

Fifth...

I love all my Royal Doulton figurines, especially the little shepherd and the old balloon lady.

Now it's my turn! I shall 'touch':
Tracy at Pink Purl in Norway
Karen Harvey Cox at A scrapbook of inspiration
Dee Dee at Love White Linen
Daisy Chain
And any other dear friends, who are game for a game. Willow, Mary, Alexandra, Fairmaiden, Lavinia?

Let us post three of four of our favourite places in our neighbourhoods.

14 comments:

Tracy said...

Such fun to see you five favorites, Eleanor! That Victoria dresser of yours is amazing--a real heirloom piece (including all the china on it!), and can almost smell your lovely scented soaps...what a treat! And such fun you have tagged me for the fun too. I was tagged for this one not too long ago...But I might be able to find five more among my favorites. It's fun playing tag ;o) Happy Day ((HUGS))

Paula said...

I absolutely love the Victorian dresser! Its so beautiful!!!

Sugarplum Cottage said...

Thank Eleanor for your visit to The Cottage, it is nice to meet you. Everything is beautiful, I would never go inside. The birds alone would keep me entertained, with their fine attire. Hope to visit often. Hugs, RoseMarie

Tess Kincaid said...

Enjoyed getting to know you a little better Eleanor!

Getting to know you...getting to know all about you... :)

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I totally love those soaps, too! Actually, I love lots of different kinds of soaps! Have you tried Crabtree and Evelyn's Cucumber soap? It's perfect choice for hot weather!

Michael Wong said...

Thanks for stopping by. I just linked to your blog from my

blogroll. If you get the chance, can you link back to me?

Thanks again, look forward to seeing you around on digg

where I go by:
michaelwong38
take care
PS - if there are any other blogs you want me to link, contact

me at anytime. also if you want something dugg, just shout.

Dorothy said...

Eleanor...such wonderful favorite things...each one so lovely...

Unknown said...

Thank you for the tag Eleanor. I love your favorites, and The Secret Garden was my favorite too. My father gave me my first copy when I was seven and I have never stopped loving it. You know there is a brand new biography of Frances Burnett and it is totally delightful because it looks like a grown-up children's book. There are all the illustrations from the many editions of the book. Your dresser is beautiful. Karen

P.S. The most curious thing, someone I knew in Hong Kong is now the general manager at the Palace Hotel nearby in Sun City. Such a small world.

Ms.Daisy said...

Eleanor,
Thank you for the fun tag! Since I don't have a camera yet I'll have to be very creative in my descriptions!
I can almost smell those lovely soaps and the spode tea set is beautiful and what a wonderful book to have that was your Grandmother's!

~Jean

Dorothy said...

Hi Eleanor...How sweet to have been tagged by you...seldom I participate but this will be easy and fun...give me a day or two...Best Wishes...Dee Dee

Mary said...

Oh how much fun it was to see your favorites! That dresser is SO beautiful! I am a scented soap lover, too. Luckily, I can usually find them at a discount store for quite a bit less than retail. :)
xoxo,
Mary

Mary said...

Hi Eleanor - I'm so enjoying your treasures - the Balloon Lady reminds me of a special auntie (she died just last month at 94) who had a huge collection of Royal Doulton figurines - that one was my favorite when I was a child.
I also loved Roger Gallet soaps - often gave them as gifts.

Thanks for stopping by - your upcoming travels intrigue me - two of my favorite places - lucky you. Tell us more later, please - or better still, tuck me in your baggage, ha! ha!

By the way, we called the chase game "IT" and it was such fun - then we'd kick off those Clarks sandals and loll in the grass, cooling off and making daisy chains, those were the days!

Lavinia said...

I love Roger and Gallet soaps, and their other products too. Very good quality goods.

Rhondi said...

Dear Eleanor
I love every one of your favorite things. Thanks for playing along.
Rhondi xo